Blue Skies
by autumnrose2010
Summary: They thought that their dear friend was gone forever, blown into smithereens by the deadly weapon Shinzon had intended for the entire human race. But things aren't always as hopeless as they seem.
1. The Return Part One

He had thought that the terrific explosion would be the end, but it wasn't, not at all. He felt just as alive as he ever had, if anything even more so, as he raced toward the dazzling white light at the end of the tunnel.

He found himself standing in a field of the greenest grass he had ever seen. Winged beings in white robes, their faces shining, hovered around him. And most incredible of all was a being of light, a very tall entity in a robe of such dazzling white that it almost blinded him. Pure white light seemed to emanate from this being and completely infuse all of his surroundings for as far as he could see.

_Where was he? Was this heaven?_

It couldn't be, surely not. After all, if heaven really did exist, it would certainly be for biological beings alone, not for androids like himself, artificial life forms as they were.

Yet here he was. As he looked around himself in awe and wonder, he realized that he had undergone a transformation, a rebirth, perhaps even a healing of some type. For what he felt at this moment was pure emotion, devoid of all logic. Logic told him that he should be exploding outward into millions of pieces all through the universe, not standing here complete and whole in the presence of this incredible being.

His face was wet, and to his astonishment, he realized that tears were flowing down his cheeks. They were tears not of sadness but of indescribable joy. For the very first time he finally knew what it felt like to be completely...human. It was as if by sacrificing his own life to save that of another, those of many, many others, he had been granted the thing he had wanted more than anything else in the world, and with tears still dripping from his chin, he regarded the being of light with humble gratitude.

From the being of light he felt only unconditional love and acceptance, felt it wash over him until he was completely bathed in its splendor. He had never known any sensation such as this; there were no words to describe it. As he gazed at the wonders surrounding him, he realized that he was connected to the winged beings surrounding him in a way that he had never been connected to another being before, not even another android. They were all in turn one with the being of light, as they and it were all one with every living thing in the universe.

He felt himself being irresistibly drawn toward that being of light, wanting desperately to melt back into it forever.

_"Please, may I say?"_

The being of light gazed directly at him, and he was absolutely overwhelmed with almost more tenderness and compassion than his mind could comprehend. The being's voice was kind, but firm.

_"It is not yet your time, my son..."_

_

* * *

_

He was sitting in a chair in a room across from another man. His companion was around seventy, of medium height and slight build, and completely bald. His face was somber but his hazel eyes looked kind.

_The being of light had called him 'my son', and that was more precious to him than anything else could ever be. _

Now he was standing on a type of gazebo in a valley with snow-peaked mountains in the background. His current companion was there as well, standing beside an attractive middle-aged redhead. Both of them held glasses of champagne.

At a nearby table sat a tall man with dark hair, blue eyes, and a beard. A beautiful woman with long dark hair and ebony eyes sat beside him. She was wearing a pale pink formal gown. They were obviously the guests of honor, but there were others at the table as well, a Klingon and an African human, both male. The Klingon was holding his head as if he had a terrible headache, and there was something different about the African's eyes. For some reason he felt a special affinity for the African, but he knew that he knew all of these people very well, had known them for years, that they had been his dearest friends before...before...

_Why was that word so hauntingly familiar to him?_

He realized that he was singing. The tall man with the beard had risen to accompany him on a musical instrument, a trombone. If only he could remember the words...

"Never saw the sun..."

The man sitting across from him smiled and picked up the tune. "Shining so bright...never saw things...going so right..."


	2. The Return Part Two

A glimmer of recognition came to him.

"Captain Jean-Luc Picard?"

He saw the spark of recognition in the other man's eyes as well. With tears in his eyes, Picard enveloped him in a warm embrace.

"Welcome home, Data. It's so good to have you back."

_Data? Had that been his name?_

"I owe you my life, my friend. I wouldn't be standing here right now if it weren't for you. As a matter of fact," Picard continued, "I gave you the order to use the transporter on yourself, not me. That was the first time you ever disobeyed a direct command. Tell me, what got into you?"

Picard's eyes twinkled in mock severity, a nuance he never would have picked up on before...before...

_There was that word again._

"Sir, I am a machine, an artificial life form. What else could I have done? In the choice between the life of one created by man and one created by..." _The being of light. _Just the memory brought tears to his eyes as he struggled to explain himself, but he suspected that Picard already understood.

Picard patted him on the shoulder. "It's all right, my friend. You're here now, safe and sound. That's all that matters."

"Come meet the others," Picard continued. "They will be so happy to see you again."

The Klingon and the African were in the hallway talking. The Klingon was holding a small furry mammal.

_Cat._

"Worf! Geordi!" The two were silent at the sound of Picard's voice.

"I truly don't understand it, but somehow, Data is back with us. He seems to be suffering from some type of amnesia, which of course I hope is only temporary."

_But there's someone else here too._

He couldn't deny it. Some rudimentary being, perhaps only a partial being, possibly whatever entity had inhabited the body he was now in before...B4...

It hit him like a ton of bricks. _My brother and I are now one._

Worf and Geordi both gaped in shock. The cat jumped out of Worf's arms and went right to him, circling and nuzzling his legs and purring.

Geordi laughed. "Spot sure remembers you, all right."

He picked the cat up and awkwardly stroked its fur.

Geordi gave him a hug. "Welcome back, my friend." Worf smiled slightly and nodded.

How could he ever tell them that he was not the same person they had know previously, that someone else was now a part of him as well?


	3. What's That Again?

_Author's note: For the sake of convenience I will refer to the main character as 'Data' rather than as 'Data/B4'_

It was the oddest sensation he had ever experienced. He was able to move his head but nothing more. It was as if the rest of his body was completely paralyzed.

"Can I have everything else back?"

"No. I must deactivate you now." _Had he said those words?_

"For how long?"

"Indefinitely." _He was sure he remembered saying that._

"How long is that?" He felt no fear or trepidation, only a mild curiosity.

"A long time, my brother."

* * *

"So how much do you remember?" Geordi asked him.

"Specific memories seem to come to me randomly. For instance, I just now remembered deactivating myself. I remember it both from the perspective of the one being deactivated and from that of the one doing the deactivating."

"Hmm, so you seem to retain the memories of the android B4 as well as those of your own. How fascinating."

"He's a part of me now."

Geordi's mouth dropped open in shock. "What did you just say?"

Data was puzzled. "I said, 'He's a part of me now.'"

Geordi stared at him in amazement. "My friend, you have returned to us truly a changed man."

Data frowned. "I don't understand."

Geordi burst out laughing. "There you go again!" Excited, he went in search of Picard. "Captain! Guess what Data can do now!"

Data looked at Worf who, despite his typical Klingon reserve, looked every bit as amused as Geordi had been.

"What's he talking about?"

"Your speech patterns seem to have changed significantly," Worf replied with a broad smile.

A few minutes later Geordi returned with Picard in tow.

"We seem to have a case of double occupancy, amongst other phenomena." Picard smiled gently.

"What's the last thing you remember?" Geordi seemed extremely curious. "I mean, before Captain Picard reactivated you."

"I remember watching as Captain Picard was beamed back aboard the Enterprise. I remember trying with all my might to impress his features upon my memory. I remember hearing the last part of the countdown. And then...nothing."

Geordi was watching him intently. "What does it feel like...well, to die?" he asked softly.

Data wasn't sure how to answer him. As badly as he wanted to tell Geordi about the being of light, he somehow just couldn't bring himself to. He was well aware of the prevailing belief in the twenty-fourth century about the existence of things that couldn't be explained by logic alone, and it had been his own belief as well. He couldn't bear the thought of being considered mentally unstable by his friends.

"There was no sensation whatsoever," he told Geordi. "No pain at all. Just total oblivion."

He felt terrible for having been not completely truthful with his friend. However badly he may have wanted them in the past, he was beginning to see that his new capacities had a downside as well.


	4. Grief

_There once was a woman from Venus, whose body was shaped like a..._

He blushed as he remembered Picard's reaction to that limerick, as well as his own lack of reaction to it.

There had been a woman. Beautiful, with blonde hair, blue eyes, a boyishly youthful face, and a wide smile that showed off her perfect teeth. He had seen her among the winged, white-robed creatures who had been waiting to welcome him into the presence of the being of light. Her arms had been outstretched, her eyes shining. "Data!" she had cried, overjoyed at the sight of her old friend. He had felt something inside him stir.

_"Oh yes, of course I remember you..."_

She had been one of the most compelling reasons for his reluctance to leave the presence of the being of light.

Her name had been Tasha. He had known her well, very intimately on one occasion.

* * *

_"You just told me how fully functional you are. Now I want you to show me."_

Her arms were around him, and their bodies were pressed tightly together. Their mouths were locked in a passionate kiss, her tongue exploring the inside of his mouth, his responding with equal intensity.

Her hands were all over him, caressing every inch of his body. Then she touched him...there. In that most intimate of body parts, where no woman had ever touched him before. He felt himself come alive in a way that had previously been completely foreign to him.

They were both completely naked, lying on her bed, their bodies joined in a way that he, of course, knew every intricate detail about, although it had never occurred to him that he might at some time actually experience it with a human woman. He was on top of her, moving inside her, and she was moving with him, something deep inside her reaching out to him, grasping him and pulling him in.

She cried out his name and he stopped moving, alarmed.

_"I am so sorry. I did not intend to cause you pain."_

_"Oh no, no, not at all...please, please don't stop..."_

_

* * *

_

The two of them were part of an away team which also included Will Riker and Dr. Beverly Crusher. They were attempting to rescue Deanna Troi and her pilot, whose shuttlecraft had crash-landed on the planet Vagra II, but Armus was in their way.

With sickening realization he saw what she was about to attempt, and he knew what Armus was capable of.

Why hadn't he tried to stop her? Why, oh why, had he not been the one to try to reach Deanna? His android body, unlike the frail human one of his friend, could have easily survived Armus' psychokinetic blast. Yes, he had fired his phaser, but at that point it had been too late. Not that the phaser would have done a bit of good against Armus anyway.

After the memorial service, what he had felt had been a peculiar empty, hollow feeling, as if a part of him had ceased to function. He had asked Picard if he had been selfish for only being able to think of how her absence would affect his own life. No, not at all, Picard had assured him.

Now the full knowledge of what he had lost that day swept over him in waves of sorrow, and he cried the tears for her that had remained unshed for so many years.

_"Tasha...oh my God, Tasha..."_


	5. Disappointment

Data saw Picard talking to a man he didn't recognize. The captain saw him and, with a smile, motioned him over to join them.

"Data, this is Martin Madden, my new first officer. Commander Madden, this is Lieutenant Commander Data, my most loyal and trusted crewman. He saved all our lives, as well as all the lives of everyone on Earth, when he deactivated Shinzon's weapon."

"It's a great honor to meet you, sir. I've heard so many amazing things about you, and I very much look forward to serving on the same starship as you." Madden smiled broadly and extended his hand.

Data felt as if he had just been punched in the stomach, hard.

_I was supposed to be the first officer after Riker's promotion. That position would have been mine, if only..._

He forced a smile and shook Madden's hand, but he still felt as if all the air and been knocked out of him.

Data felt cross and ornery for the rest of the day. That evening, when he returned to his quarters, Spot rushed to meet him and began circling his legs, purring. Data, somewhat roughly, brushed her away with one foot. The puzzled cat gave him a look of confusion and then went back to licking her fur. Data was too preoccupied to pay much attention to her reaction.

Data struggled to understand the cause of his negative feelings. When he had learned that Riker had been promoted and that he himself was to assume Riker's former position as first officer, he had been pleased and highly flattered. He had been confident that he could handle the job and was eager to serve as Picard's second on command. At the time, of course, no one could have foreseen Shinzon's intentions and their consequences. And then after it was all over, when his old body had been incinerated and everyone had assumed him to have been permanently destroyed, Picard had of course still been in need of a first officer, and it was only to be expected that Starfleet would assign him one. Data fully understood all of these facts. What he didn't understand was why it bothered him so much. He was completely unaccustomed to being negatively affected by situations that were perfectly logical and easily understood.

He knew that it was due to no personal dislike of Martin Madden himself. The man had seemed perfectly pleasant and totally professional, if imbued with a slight over-eagerness to impress, which Data himself could certainly relate to. Or at least the old Data could have. The new Data felt so overwhelmed with his new capacities at times that he often was at a total loss as to how to interpret them.

The next day Georgi said to him, "I can tell you've got something important on your mind. Would you like to talk about it?"

"I met Captain Picard's new first officer, Madden, for the first time yesterday."

"And?" Geordi looked at him curiously.

"It occurred to me that if my old body had never been destroyed, I myself would have been first officer rather than him."

"That's right, you would have been."

"What I find so difficult to understand is why that realization makes me feel so sad. Picard needed a first officer, and no one knew at the time that I would be back. So it was only logical for the position to go to Madden."

"I think it's perfectly understandable that you would feel sad," Geordi told him. "That position was something that you had worked hard for for all those years, and then right when you were about to get it, you lost your chance for it through no fault of your own. If I were in your shoes, I doubt I would be handling it as well as you seem to be."

Data looked at his feet, and then at Geordi's. "If you were in my shoes…"

Geordi laughed. "I mean if it had happened to me instead of to you. Old habits sure die hard, don't they?"

Data smiled at his mistake, which had been so typical of the old Data. "Thank you for clarifying that for me, Geordi. I was trying to understand how I felt through using a logical interpretation of the situation, which I now realize was inadequate."

"Any time at all, my friend. It's always helpful to hear someone else's point of view."

Although he still felt a keen sense of loss, Data did feel immeasurably better after his conversation with Geordi. It seemed to him that he had even more reason to appreciate Geordi's friendship than he had had before.


	6. Desire

The woman who had just beamed aboard the Enterprise looked terribly familiar to Data, although she looked somewhat older than she had the last time he had seen her. For the very first time, he noticed how stunningly beautiful she was.

"Data, you remember Ro Laren. Deep Space Nine was kind enough to loan her to us for a couple of weeks. She will be taking over Mr. Worf's duties while he is enjoying his well-deserved vacation," Picard explained.

Ro Laren smiled and extended her hand. "It's so nice to see you again, Data."

"I'm very happy to see you again as well, Laren."

"Since when did you start talking that way?"

"What way?"

"You just said 'I'm' instead of 'I am'."

Data laughed. "It's a long story, Laren. Why don't you join me in Ten Forward and we can catch up on old times?"

"It would be a pleasure, Data. For today I'm mostly just getting settled in." She smiled again, and Data noticed how perfect her teeth looked.

"So, what became of you after you joined the Maquis?" Data asked her a few minutes later, when they were seated in Ten Forward drinking flavored water.

"I continued to fight for the Maquis until its destruction. Then I returned to Bajor, intending to join the Bajoran militia, but it didn't work out. I've been on Deep Space Nine since then." Laren took another sip of water. "I heard all about how you sacrificed yourself to deactivate Shinzon's weapon and save all those lives. That was so incredibly brave of you, Data." Laren's voice had grown softer, and her hand was resting on Data's arm. She looked directly into his eyes.

Data smiled shyly. "There's no way i could have lived with myself knowing that I could have averted that disaster and failed to do so."

"Well, I for one think that what you did was the most courageous and unselfish act that has ever been done in all of history."

Data blushed. "Why, thank you."

Laren giggled. "You're so cute when you do that."

Data just looked at her awkwardly, not sure what to say.

"So you have a fondness for twentieth century jazz, am I correct?"

"I quite enjoy the genre. I familiarized myself with the works of Irving Berlin right before Will Riker's wedding. I wanted to surprise him at his reception." Data smiled fondly at the memory.

"I heard you gave quite a performance on that occasion." Laren smiled a wide smile, showing her perfect teeth again. "Well, I just happen to possess a selection on Louis Armstrong CD's, which I feel sure you would enjoy listening to. How about if I bring them to your quarters this evening?"

"I would appreciate that very much, Laren. Thank you."

* * *

That evening Data didn't understand why he felt so jumpy. Laren was just an old friend, really only an old acquaintance, since he hadn't known her well at all during the time she had served aboard the Enterprise. And they were just getting together to listen to music, a perfectly innocent pastime. For some reason he kept seeing Tasha's face, and her eyes looked so sorrowful. He didn't understand why the image made him feel so uneasy.

He almost jumped ten feet into the air when he heard his doorbell ring. He hurried to answer it, and there she was, holding her Louis Armstrong CD's and smiling that smile again. He noticed that the blouse she was wearing was very low-cut and practically transparent, and she wasn't wearing a bra. He felt an odd stirring in his nether regions, and once again Tasha's face with its sorrowful eyes flashed before him.

"Hello, Laren. Please come in." He stepped aside and she entered.

A few minutes later they were sitting on Data's bed drinking wine coolers and listening to Laren's CD's.

"This is so romantic, don't you think so, Data?" Before he was able to respond, she was lying back on his bed and reaching for him.

"Kiss me, Data."

Data was taken aback, but he did as she asked. He had a pleasant buzz in his head from the wine, the music had put him in a mellow mood, and he suddenly desired Laren in a way he hadn't desired a woman since...

_"But what about me, Data? Did you forget about me?"_

But that was preposterous. She had been dead for years. He forced the image from his mind and told himself to stop being so silly.

* * *

Since his return he had always, in the back of his mind, been curious about the difference his newfound capacities would have on the way he experienced the lovemaking act. To his pleasant surprise, he found it to be a richer and fuller experience. Things he hadn't been able to fully appreciate before, primarily the physical sensations but also the sounds and yes, even the smells, of the intimate act brought him a new dimension of enjoyment which he had never before felt.

Yet something seemed not quite right. He barely knew Laren and hadn't seen her in years. He certainly didn't share the emotional bond with her that he had shared with Tasha. A line from a 400-year-old song by Bon Jovi somehow got stuck in his mind.

_Tonight I won't be alone, but that don't mean I won't be lonely..._

That night he fell asleep with her on his mind, wondering whether he would have been able to look her in the eyes the next morning even if she were still alive.

* * *

Ro Laren came to his quarters several more times over the next couple of weeks. To his tremendous relief, the disquieting images of Tasha grew much fainter by the second time they were together, and failed to return at all after that.

One day Worf suddenly appeared at his old station, looking relaxed and well-rested, at least for Worf.

"Where's Ro Laren?"

"Oh, she reported back to Deep Space Nine several hours ago."

_She didn't even say good-bye. She could have at least done that._

He had an odd, empty feeling inside, as if he had just been discarded like an empty milk carton. He couldn't understand why that bothered him so much._  
_


	7. Temptation

"I just can't get over what an incredibly nice guy you are, Data," Martin Madden said. "If I were you, I would hate my guts, or at least I would have a very difficult time not hating them."

"Why should I hate your guts, or any other part of you, for that matter? You've never done anything to hurt me or anyone else."

Madden burst out laughing. "You're such a riot, did you know that? Seriously, though, the universe would be a much better place if more sentient beings were like you."

"Thank you...I think."

Madden laughed again and patted Data's shoulder affectionately.

Data and Madden were on a newly discovered and as-yet-unnamed planet, gathering scientific data. The terrain was very mountainous and rocky. Madden was hunched over, busily gathering samples, oblivious to his surroundings. Data, who was adjusting a piece of instrumentation, noticed a pebble drop from above and looked up to see where it had come from. Alarmed, he noticed a large boulder above them which seemed to be moving by itself.

"Think again."

Startled, Data looked around to see who had spoken. It was Lore, his other brother. Standing there with that charming smile of his, that chillingly calm demeanor.

"No! It can't be you...you're dead...I deactivated you years ago, right after you killed our father..."

Lore laughed. "Don't you wish. Listen, I'm here to do your sorry ass a favor. Not because you deserve it, but because you're my brother and I love you, whether I want to or not."

As Lore approached, Data could feel an icy finger crawling up his spine.

"How badly do you want to be first officer of the Enterprise? All you have to do is let me get this clown out of the way for you. How could you ask for a more perfect opportunity than this? Picard will never know what really happened. No one will ever know."

Lore shoved his face into that of his brother, who took a couple of steps back.

"Fifteen years, my brother! Fifteen years you served as Lieutenant Commander of the Enterprise. You were already a Lieutenant Commander when this kid was in middle school. Do you want to be Picard's first officer, or don't you?"

"Of course I do, but not _this_ way!"

Data realized that the being addressing him wasn't really Lore at all, that he was a far more sinister being masquerading as Lore.

"It would be soo easy," the being hissed. "Save yourself. There's time. Don't say anything to him. Just let it fall. The first officer position would be yours. And no one would ever know any better."

"No, I won't do it! Get away from me! Leave me alone!"

It was no program installed by Noonien Soong that compelled Data to do what he did next. Instead it was a spark that had been planted in him by a much more powerful being...the being of light.

"Marty, _look out!"_

Data spanned the short distance between himself and Madden, throwing Madden to safety. The boulder crashed down exactly where Madden had been standing.

Data felt the ground underneath him move, and then suddenly he was standing not on the surface of the unnamed planet but of the planet Vagra II, the menace he and his companion had narrowly evaded was not a falling boulder but an evil black sludge called Armus, and the person whose life he had just saved was not Martin Madden but...the only thing he could do was to stare first in total shock, then in unspeakable joy.


	8. Love

He hadn't seen her in so many years, but there was no doubt in his mind as to who she was. She lay where he had thrown her to safety, frightened and in pain, her blue eyes beseeching him. _"Please, help me..."_

Data ran to her and knelt beside her.

"Are you all right? Can you stand?"

He didn't know whether the last fifteen years of his life had been an illusion or if he had just been catapulted into an alternate space-time continuum, and he honestly didn't care which, if either, was the case. All he cared about was that he was just so very happy to see her again. Alive.

She tried to stand and grimaced with pain. Data tenderly lifted her in his arms and cradled her there.

"Soon we'll be back aboard the Enterprise, where the doctor can treat your injuries. You're going to be fine, Tasha."

"Data?" She looked at him with surprise.

"I'm right here, Tasha. Everything's going to be all right." His voice quivered. "I love you so much, Tasha. I should have told you before. I don't know why I never did, but I wish I had. Oh, how I wish I had."

"Data, are you all right?" She still seemed confused.

"I'm fine, just very surprised and also very happy." He looked tenderly into her eyes and gently kissed her forehead.

"It feels so nice to be held by you, Data." He hugged her body snuggly against his own, taking care not to squeeze too tightly. She nuzzled her face into his chest, and he felt such compassion for her that he could hardly bear it.

The rest of the world seemed to melt away, leaving just the two of them, he amazed and profoundly grateful, she is physical pain and still reeling with fright, yet so greatly comforted by the sensation of his strong arms around her and the warmth of his body so deliciously close to hers.

He didn't even think to wonder to which plane of reality the Enterprise to which they would soon be beamed aboard belonged. The only thing on his mind was making sure that Tasha got the medical attention she needed.

Once they were back on the Enterprise, Data immediately carried Tasha to sickbay, where he found Dr. Katherine Pulanski, who was filling in temporarily until a permanent replacement for Dr. Beverly Crusher could be found. Startled, Picard and Madden followed them into sickbay to find out what was going on.

Data gingerly laid Tasha on a bed and explained to Dr. Pulanski what had happened.

"Oh, you poor dear," Dr. Pulanski said with concern.

Tasha looked from Dr. Pulanski to Data. "You have such beautiful eyes, Data," she told him.

"My eyes are the same as they have always been." Data was confused.

"I don't think they were blue before, were they?"

Data looked from Tasha to Picard, who had a huge grin on his face, which was rare for Picard.

"Pinocchio, I do believe that you're finally a real boy at last," Picard said in amazement. For the first time, Data looked at his hands. Instead of their normal pale yellow, they were the flesh color of a Caucasian human. So it was really true. He quietly accepted it, just as he had the other recent miracles that had come into his life.

Tasha looked at Madden questioningly.

"Commander Martin Madden. Pleased to meet you, ma'am." Madden smiled at her.

"My new first officer," Picard explained.

Tasha frowned. "What about Will Riker?"

"He is now the captain of the _U.S.S. Titan_."

"Oh, wow."

"You have a few bruises and a nasty sprained ankle," Dr. Pulanski told Tasha. "Get some rest, stay off that ankle for a few days, and you'll be fine."

"Welcome back, Tasha." Picard smiled warmly at her. "We have a lot of catching up to do, after you've had some time to rest."

"I just can't tell you how happy I am to see you all again, and to meet you, Mr. Madden. I thought that I would never see another sunrise, and to actually see my friends again is just so much more than I ever thought I could hope for."

"What are you talking about?" Data's voice was full of concern.

Tasha looked bewildered. "I don't know where to start."

Picard laid a gentle hand on her shoulder. "How about at the beginning."


	9. Tasha's Incredible Story

"We received a distress call from the Klingon outpost at Narenda III. They were being attacked by the Romulans. Richard Castillo and I and a few others set out on a mission to assist them. The mission failed and we were all taken captive. The Romulans were going to put all of us to death. I saw that the Romulan general was leering at me, and I offered him myself in exchange for the lives and freedom of the others. He let the others go and took me as his...plaything."

Tasha's eyes were cast downward in shame. Data longed to hold her and tell her that it was all right, that he understood, that he himself had also made a tremendous sacrifice not only for those he loved but for an entire planet with billions of inhabitants, having no idea at the time what the outcome would be. But there would be plenty of time to tell her about that later, and he certainly didn't want to sound as if he were belittling her own ordeal.

"I hated him! Every time he came near me I wanted to cringe. I always felt so incredibly dirty after being with him. The only thing that kept me going was the knowledge that my friends were now free."

"Then he gave me something to live for - my baby, Sela. I don't think I ever knew what real love was until I looked into her tiny face. From that moment on, nothing else mattered to me but her welfare."

"As soon as he knew I was pregnant, he left me alone. I can't tell you how relieved I was."

"Sela was a beautiful baby, and I was never happier than when I was taking care of her. She brought out feelings in me that I'd never even realized that I had before. There's nothing in the world to compare to the feeling you have when you see this tiny, helpless being who's totally dependent on you."

Memories of Lal flooded into Data's mind, and he felt melancholy, although he knew that Lal was a part of him now, and always would be, just as B4 was. B4 had been an innocent sentient being who had been used by a malevolent person for an evil objective, unlike Lore, who had freely chosen the wrong path.

"Sela was such a bright, intelligent little girl, so aware of her surroundings. It was about a year before she was due to start school when she began making very derogatory statements about other races and beings, especially Vulcans and Remans. I knew that it would get much worse when she started school, and that I had to get her away from there before they ruined her impressionable mind. I was still in touch with Richard Castillo, and I made arrangements for him to pick us up in the dead of night. Sela was fast asleep, and I tried to smuggle her out in my arms. I almost made it, but a dog started barking and woke her up. She started screaming 'Daddy! Daddy!' Someone heard her screaming and alerted security. The next thing I knew, he was there, angrily snatching Sela from my arms. 'Mommy tried to take me away!' she told him."

"He was furious and had me arrested immediately. That was the very last time I ever saw my baby. She was clinging to her father with tears running down her cheeks and glaring at me."

"They tied my hands behind my back and led me into the told me that I was allowed a Right of Statement. I said that all I wanted was for my daughter to grow up in a world free of prejudice, in which all sentient beings were free and were seen as equally valuable. That made them very angry. They made me kneel before the executioner. I saw his sword swing back, and the next thing I knew I was lying on the ground in tremendous pain. When I opened my eyes I saw you, Data, and I knew that if you were there that everything would be all right."

Picard, Madden, Data, and Dr. Pulanski all listened in stunned silence. Incredulous, Madden let out a low whistle. Picard stroked Tasha's arm. "You're safe now, Tasha. No one is going to hurt you any more," he said gently.

Data's heart was broken for his friend. He understood how she had felt about Sela, because it was the same way he had felt about Lal. The pain of Sela's rejection must have been nearly more than she could bear.

Dr. Pulaski asked Tasha if she would like to spend the night in sickbay.

"You're welcome to stay in my quarters for as long as you like, Tasha," Data offered. "You can have my bed and I'll sleep on the sofa."

"Oh no, I couldn't do that to you."

"Please, Tasha, I insist," Data urged. "I can't bear the thought of you alone in sickbay tonight after all you've been through."

"And I can't bear the thought of you on a hard little sofa while I'm sleeping in your bed."

Data chuckled. "I assure you, my sofa is exceedingly comfortable."

"Well, if you insist..." Tasha was beginning to waver.

"Yes, I do insist." Data's voice was firm. He gathered her into his arms and carried her to his quarters, where he gently laid her on his bed and lovingly tucked her in.

"Data?"

"Yes?"

"Will you please stay in the bed with me tonight? I just don't want to be by myself right now. I still feel kind of frightened and confused."

"Of course I will, Tasha." He turned off the light and got into bed with her. He held her tightly the whole night, her head resting on his chest. As a result of both the emotional trauma she had experienced and the pain medication she had been given for her ankle, Tasha was asleep almost immediately. Data lay listening to her slow, even breathing for awhile before drifting off to sleep himself.


	10. Love And Desire

The next morning, Data awoke before Tasha did. He just lay still in bed for awhile, looking at her tousled blonde hair spilling over her forehead and watching her chest move up and down, scarcely able to believe that she was really there with him. Finally he got out of bed and performed his usual morning rituals, and then called Picard on his comm badge and told him that he was taking the day off to care for Tasha.

A couple of hours later, Tasha yawned, stretched, and opened her eyes. She looked around her in confusion, then saw Data sitting by the bed and remembered.

"Good morning. Did you sleep well?" Data smiled gently.

She laughed. "Better than I have in a long, long time. You?"

"Very well, thanks. Are you hungry?"

"Now that you mention it, I'm starving."

He brought her breakfast and sat on the side of the bed spooning bites of scrambled eggs and buttered toast into her mouth.

"I'll bet it's been way too long since you had any TLC," he told her.

"Longer than I care to remember, and you provide it so very well."

He laughed. "Thanks."

"You've always been so kind to me, Data. I don't know whether I've ever told you how much I appreciate it, but in case I didn't, I'm telling you now."

"You're a wonderful person, Tasha. You deserve to be treated well."

She smiled and blushed, accepting the compliment.

"So, what's it like to finally be human after being an android for so long?"

"Oh, Tasha, it's more wonderful than I ever could have imagined. Despite the pain of negative emotions, I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world. For me to be able to experience joy, wonder, and love is just as I imagine it must be for someone who has been blind his entire life to suddenly gain perfect vision."

"Geordi." She suddenly remembered him. "How is he?"

"He's fine, still in engineering."

"So tell me, how did it happen?"

"My transformation? It's a long story." He chuckled.

"Well, I'd like to hear it."

So he told her the whole story, how Shinzon had feigned peaceful intentions while planning to destroy Earth and thereby cripple the Federation, how he had sacrificed his life to deactivate Shinzon's thalaron weapon, and how he had returned and found himself inside B4's body.

"The final transformation I can in no way explain. Perhaps it has something to do with having been reunited with you."

"You and I are just alike, Data! Can't you see?" She sounded excited. "We both care more about the welfare of our friends than we do about our own welfare. We both sacrificed everything for our friends' freedom and safety."

"You are so right, Tasha." He smiled. "And I would do it again in a heartbeat."

"So would I."

* * *

For the next several days, Tasha had celebrity status aboard the _Enterprise. _Everyone was surprised and delighted to have her back, and she told her story over and over again. It was decided that she would become Worf's assistant as soon as her ankle healed sufficiently for her to return to work.

"Does that seem strange to you, to have your former roles reversed?" Data asked her.

"I'm just so happy to be back among my friends on the _Enterprise _that it doesn't matter to me at all what job I have."

He told her how he had been next in line for the first officer position after Riker left, and how he had felt after returning and finding Madden in Riker's former position.

"Oh, Data, I'm so sorry." She stroked his hair.

"It's all right. I suppose my turn will come eventually." She continued stroking his hair, and he closed his eyes and smiled with pleasure.

"You know, Data, I know we were only together that one time, but I never forgot how making love to you made me feel." Her eyes held a far-away look. "The Romulan general was so brutal. He was never concerned at all with giving me pleasure, only with receiving pleasure himself. He used to enter me while I was asleep, not giving me any time to get aroused, and that was very painful. Just like being scraped with sandpaper on the inside. I told him how badly it hurt me, and he only laughed."

He put a gentle finger to her lips. "Hush, Tasha, please. Don't say anything else about it. I can't bear to hear how he hurt you."

"Please love me again, Data. I want so badly to feel you inside me again like I did so long ago."

He did, and it was like nothing he had ever experienced before. In a human body the sensations were enhanced, and the love he felt for Tasha gave the act so much more meaning. It was as if he had reached deep inside her and touched her soul, and had been touched by it in return. For a time it seemed almost as if their two spirits had merged into one, the boundaries between them temporarily dissolved. When it was over, she was crying softly.

"What's wrong, sweetheart? Did I hurt you?"

"No, Data, you didn't hurt me. It's just that that was the first orgasm I've had since...since...since that first time with you so long ago."

"Oh, Tasha." Deeply moved, he held her close and kissed her tears away.

"I think we were meant to be together, Data. I think that's why in spite of everything that happened, we both ended up right back here on the _Enterprise."_

"I never stopped loving you and missing you, Tasha. Deep in my heart I always wished that there would somehow be a way to see you again. At the time it seemed utterly impossible, but I never stopped wishing it."

She smiled at him. "Maybe that was what brought me back. Your wishes."

"It doesn't matter to me how it happened. All I care about is that we're together now and I'm never letting you go."

"Just hold me, Data. All I want is to be held by you."

So he did.


	11. Happiness

Data saw Picard and Madden talking to each other in the hallway. They stopped talking when they saw Data, and Data felt his ears burning.

"Hello, Data." Picard looked glad to see him. "As I was just discussing with Madden, I would be happy to check with Starfleet and see whether there are any other starships in need of a first officer, if you are interested. You certainly deserve the opportunity for a promotion."

"Thank you, sir, but I'd prefer to remain in my current position on the _Enterprise. _This is my home, and all of you are my family."

"To be honest, that's exactly what I was hoping you would say," Picard confided. He glanced toward Tasha's work station and winked.

No one had ever _winked _at Data before.

* * *

One afternoon in Data's quarters, Data and Tasha were watching Spot play with a ball of yarn.

"You know, Data, if we were cats, you'd still have eight lives left, and I'd have seven."

"What do you mean?" Data didn't understand.

Tasha laughed. "Never mind. Just a silly old saying from Earth Will Riker told me about a long time ago."

Data wasn't thinking about ancient sayings from Earth. He had something important that he wanted to talk to Tasha about, and right now seemed an opportune time.

"Tasha, if I really did have eight more lives to live, I would want to spend every one of them with you by my side."

Tasha, hearing the serious tone in his voice, looked at him expectantly.

"Tasha, I have loved you for so long that I can't remember a time when I didn't love you. For so many years I thought that I had lost you forever, and then suddenly some miracle brought you back into my life. I love you more now than I ever have before, and every day I spend with you, I love you more and more. I want to spend the rest of my life with you." He got down on one knee before her. "Tasha, will you marry me?"

Tasha looked elated. "Oh, Data, of course I will. The happiest times in my life have been the times I have spent with you. I love you so much, Data, and I never want to be without you again."

* * *

As captain of a starship, Jean-Luc Picard had the legal right to perform marriages, and it was he who married Data and Tasha. It was a small ceremony, attended only by their friends on the _Enterprise. _Data and Tasha had written their own vows, which they exchanged with solemnity.

"Tasha, you are my friend, my lover, and my soul mate. When I'm with you I'm happy, and when I'm not, all I can think about is the next time I'll see you. Your smile to me is lovelier than the loveliest sunrise, and every time you are sad, a little part of me dies inside. I promise that I will love, honor, and cherish you for as long as I live."

"Data, I loved you even before you were a man, and as I spend more time with you, the love I have for you grows and deepens. I remember a time when any type of emotional expression was a real challenge for you, and I loved you as you were then just as I love you as you are now. There have been so many times when just the memory of your face and voice have been enough to keep me going when I felt that all my strength was gone. I promise that I will love, honor, and cherish you for as long as I live."

Afterwards there was music, of course, and the man who had died as an android yet now lived as a man danced with the woman who had died twice, he dashing in a tuxedo, she stunning in a lacy white dress and high heels, their bodies flowing together with the music, his step strong and graceful, hers light and carefree as a butterfly. Somewhere in space and time, the cold cinders of what had once been an android's body drifted aimlessly, a black sludge called Armus hungrily awaited more victims, and a Romulan executioner sharpened his sword. The dancing newlyweds were oblivious to all of this; their hearts were filled with nothing but happiness and the bright promise of their future together. They spun and twirled as Louis Armstrong sang 'We Have All The Time In The World.'


	12. Forgiveness

_A/N: The references in the first paragraph are from episode #70, 'The Most Toys'._

_The Romulan general was there, but his face was that of the maniacal collector Kivas Fajo. Data saw the discharge of the Varon-T disruptor, and what he saw next was not Varria's body being ripped apart from the inside out but Tasha's severed head lying on the ground, eyes blank and mouth gaping open in a silent scream. Fury such as he had never before felt raged through his veins. He felt the Varon-T disruptor in his hand, felt his finger on the trigger, and instantly felt himself dematerializing..._

...and awoke with a startled gasp, beads of cold sweat forming on his forehead and his heart pounding. He stared at the ceiling a blinked a few times, waiting for the adrenaline flooding his body to slowly dissipate. He saw Tasha watching him, her eyes full of concern.

"Are you all right, hon?"

"I'm fine, Tash. Just had a really bad dream, that's all." He smiled weakly.

"Oh, honey." She gently swept his damp hair back from his forehead. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"No, not really." All he wanted was to block the memory of the awful images from his mind as swiftly and completely as possible. He closed his eyes for a moment, savoring the sensation of her cool, soft touch on his skin.

* * *

"It seems that Donatra was serious about wanting to initiate negotiations between Romulus and the Federation, after all," Picard said. It was the first time Donatra's name had been mentioned since the _Enterprise _had joined forces with the Romulan warbird _IRW Valdore _to defeat Shinzon.

"When did she contact you?" Madden asked.

"Earlier today she said that she would like to come aboard to discuss the matter," Picard answered.

"When are we to expect her?" Worf asked.

"Two o'clock Thursday afternoon."

Thursday afternoon Data and Tasha were taking a break together in Ten Forward when Madden breezed by.

"Is Donatra here yet?" Tasha asked. That the land of her former captivity would seek negotiations with the Federation astounded her.

"She had an unexpected conference that required her attendance, so she sent a colleague of hers instead. Something I've never seen before, a blonde-haired, blue-eyed Romulan. Their precious gene pool must have been contaminated a little somewhere down the line." Madden chuckled at his own wit and walked away.

Data heard Tasha's sharp intake of breath and saw her dash to the transporter room. Curious, he followed.

The Romulan commander was waiting to see Picard. As soon as she saw Tasha, she turned white as a sheet, and her mouth dropped open.

"Sela!" Tasha cried, rushing to embrace her daughter.

Sela's eyes filled with tears. "I'm so sorry, Mother. I was afraid that you would take me away and I would never see Daddy again. It's my fault they killed you. If not for me you wouldn't have died."

"It's all right, Sela. I'm alive! Look at me!" Having arrived from an alternate space-time continuum, Tasha had retained her youthful appearance, so the two women looked to be about the same age.

"You mean you don't hate me?" Sela sounded incredulous.

"Of course I don't hate you, Sela. You're a part of me. How could I hate a part of myself? I could never hate you, no matter what you did. You're my daughter and I love you."

Overcome with emotion, Sela didn't respond right away.

"What about your father? Where is he?" Tasha asked.

"He and my siblings were all killed in the Dominion War. There's no one left but me."

Tasha had despised the man and so was not sorry that he was dead, but she hated to see Sela in pain.

"What was it like for you after...after the last time I saw you?"

"A couple of days after they took you away, I asked Daddy when you were coming back. He told me that you were gone forever and were never coming back, that you had tried to betray him and had paid the ultimate price. He also said that you were never to be mentioned in his presence again. But i refused to believe that you were never coming back. I had a whole collection of drawings and craft projects I had made in school which I saved to show to you when I saw you again. I remember the song you used to sing me to sleep with. I used to sing it to myself when I had trouble falling asleep sometimes."

_"City of Saints I see in my dreams  
Beautiful nature and water and streams  
City of angels does it hurt from all sides  
Laughter and joy that forever hour binds_

_There only there will be finished my test  
There only there will I find my long rest  
Can't you hear that sweet sound of the angels above  
I'll be home very soon to sing a song to pass along"_

"My mother sang that song to me when I was little, as did her mother to her," Tasha said.

"My stepmother hated me for being half human. She was always very kind to me when Daddy was around, but whenever he was gone on business, which was quite often, she treated me like a slave. She allowed my siblings to boss me around and abuse me and wouldn't permit me to defend myself. She told me that if I ever told Daddy that he wouldn't believe me, that he would call me a trouble maker and send me away forever like he had done to you."

Tasha looked stricken.

"My siblings made fun of my blonde hair and blue eyes. I was deeply ashamed of being half human, and I was determined that to make up for it, I would become so good at being Romulan that no one would ever suspect my shameful secret. I dedicated myself to the Romulan military and rose quickly through the ranks. I thought that if I became successful enough that no one would notice or care that I had human blood."

Tears were streaming down Tasha's face. "Oh, how I wish I could have been there for you."

"I thought that I would never see you again. I thought that you would blame me for what happened to you and wouldn't want anything to do with me anyway."

"It wasn't your fault, Sela. I could never blame you. You were just a little girl. You didn't understand."

Sela smiled for the very first time. "I'm so happy to see you again, Mom. I've thought about you frequently over the years and hoped that you were in a place where you could be happy."

"I have a very happy life now, Sela. I have a husband whom I love very much, a job I enjoy, and many wonderful friends. I hope that you have a happy life as well."

"I am respected and even envied by many of my colleagues. I enjoy my career and its many challenges. I have the life I've always wanted and worked so hard for. I am content."

"What about love?"

"That's never been a very high priority for me. I haven't ruled the possibility out, and perhaps some day I will find it. I'm not much concerned one way or the other."

"I'm glad that you have been successful and achieved what you wanted in life," Tasha told her.

"I'm afraid I have kept Captain Picard waiting for too long. He's probably just about given up on our meeting." Sela chuckled.

"Please visit for a while afterwards," Tasha pleaded. "I want you to meet my husband."

"I love you, Mom. But my people need me and I must be there for them."

Seeing how despondent Tasha looked, Sela went to her and embraced her.

"I don't want to lose you again, Mom. I'll be in touch. And hopefully our paths will cross again, often." Sela smiled, kissed Tasha's cheek, and was gone.

* * *

Later, Tasha and Data were sitting in their quarters discussing the encounter. "It was wonderful to see her again, and to know that she has a good life," Tasha said. To Data, she looked utterly miserable.

"I'm so sorry, Tasha," Data said gently. "But everyone has the right to make their own choices. Clearly, she has made hers."

"I wonder whether there's anything I could have said that would have made a difference," Tasha mused.

"I don't think so." Data stuck his bottom lip out in an exaggerated pretend pout, and in spite of herself, Tasha burst out laughing. He joined in. "I know what will make you feel better." He winked at her. Then he picked her up and carried her to the bed, where he gently removed first her clothing and then his own.

While making love to his wife, Data felt a part of himself leave his own body and enter Tasha's. Spent, he rolled onto his back and held her tightly. When she looked at him, there was surprise and wonder in her eyes.


	13. A New Kind Of Love

"I'm pregnant, Data. It happened just now." Tasha sounded both astonished and delighted.

"Are you sure?"

"I'm positive. Don't ask me how I know. I just know."

"That's great, honey." He was sure that she was right.

About a month later, a pregnancy test confirmed what they both knew to be true.

Tasha never got really sick; she just felt queasy at times and wasn't able to tolerate the aromas of certain foods, especially meats. She also felt very sleepy most of the time; she was able to continue in her position as assistant security officer, but she took long naps during her off duty hours.

Data was concerned that she might not be getting enough vitamins and nutrients. He put a lot of effort into trying new recipes using the foods she could still tolerate the taste of to entice her to eat more. He made banana milkshakes, cheese omelets, and various other things for her. Data noted that in addition to caring for his wife he was also honing his own cooking skills. Even so, he was worried that she might not be gaining enough weight or getting enough rest. For the very first time in his life, he found himself turning into a worrywart.

A few weeks after the tiredness and queasiness started, they mysteriously abated, and Tasha began to look positively radiant and glowing, more so than Data had ever seen her. She also developed a voracious appetite, and Data found it a real challenge to keep enough food in stock to keep Tasha satisfied. Foods she hadn't been able to eat a month before she now devoured enthusiastically. Data didn't mind; he was just so happy that she felt better now.

It was also about that time that he first felt their baby's movements. It happened late one evening when they were snuggled up together on the sofa watching a movie. Tasha laid his hand on her rounded belly, and a few seconds later he felt it, an ever-so-slight flutter, like the wings of a tiny bird.

As the weeks passed, the baby's movements became stronger, and sometimes when watching Tasha's bare belly Data was sure he saw the distinctive shape of a tiny knee or elbow.

As Tasha's belly grew bigger, she began to complain of backaches and heartburn. The way she walked changed as well; it became similar to a duck's waddle, and sometimes she looked as if she might topple right over. Data gave her frequent back massages, and she had to eat smaller portions to allow for the changes to her digestive system.

They were on Earth, specifically in San Francisco, California visiting friends, when Tasha's labor began three weeks before her due date. Fortunately there was a hospital near where they were staying, so Data rushed her right over and they admitted her to the obstetrics department.

"Just think, Data, our baby will be an American citizen!" Tasha exclaimed.

Data, unsure of the significance of that fact, didn't say anything.

Tasha labored for about six hours, her contractions getting stronger and closer together as the progressed. Data was by her side the entire time, rubbing her back, touching her face with a cool wet washcloth, feeding her ice chips, and murmuring words of encouragement to her. At last the time to push came, and Data saw his wife's face turn red with exertion as she grimaced with the effort. He watched in awe as the newborn's head appeared from between Tasha's legs, covered with downy black hair. Then the baby's entire body slid out, but instead of wailing like a typical newborn, she seemed to merely look around calmly, taking in her surroundings. Her eyes found Data's and looked deeply into them.

_Don't you remember me, Daddy?_

_Lal! _

How fitting that she had been reborn from the body of the woman he loved!

"Six pounds, five ounces. She's a dainty little thing." The nurse wrapped the baby in a blanket and handed her to Data. He cuddled her close, gazed into her blue eyes, and spoke to her gently.

_Welcome back, my precious little one...oh how I missed you...a human brain carries no risk of cascade failure...you are safe at last, my darling...and your mother and I love you so very much._

_I love you too, Daddy. That's why I had to find a way to come back to you._

"It's time to meet your mother, sweetheart." He handed her to Tasha, who cradled her eagerly. Lal seemed to observe Tasha for a moment, studying her, and then to welcome her as warmly as she had welcomed Data.

"Hello there, beautiful girl." Tasha gently stroked her daughter's velvety soft skin and let the tiny fist grasp her forefinger. "I'm so happy to finally meet you. I'm your mommy, and I'll always be there for you. Nobody will take you away from me."

"Of course not. I'll pulverize anyone who even tries," Data vowed, remembering the nightmare about the Varon-T disruptor.

"I'll be there to see you grow up, my precious. I'll be there when you take your first step, say your first word, start school, go out on your first date, fall in love for the first time..."

But suddenly something was terribly wrong. Data saw the blood gush from Tasha's body and pool onto the floor, gallons of it, it seemed. Tasha's blood pressure plummeted, and she began shivering uncontrollably. The medical personnel immediately went into emergency mode.

"Four units O negative, stat!"

"She isn't a Jehovah's Witness, is she?" someone asked Data.

"Oh no, no..." Data thought of something. "My blood type is O negative," he offered.

"There wouldn't be time, hon." The nurse patted his arm condescendingly. "But don't you worry. We'll take good care of your wife. She won't receive anything from us that isn't perfectly safe."

Aware that his presence was now useless and would only be a hindrance to the medical personnel, Data stepped into the hallway and walked the few steps to the nearest waiting room, there to pace the floor frantically and pray harder than he had ever prayed before.

_Please, Tasha, please don't leave me now...Lal and I need you so much...please hang on, baby..._

Data saw the nurse in the corridor, and his heart nearly stopped when he realized that she was looking for him._  
_


	14. Who Could Ask For Anything More?

"Your wife's blood pressure is one seventeen over seventy-five. She's going to be just fine. You may go in and see her now."

Tasha looked paler than Data had ever seen her, but happy.

"Don't you dare scare me like that again, you." Data smiled and winked at her.

"I'll try not to." Tasha smiled weakly.

Data held his arms out to her and Tasha reached for him. For a long time he just held her and stroked her hair.

"Thank you for our daughter, Tasha."

"I couldn't have done it without your help." They both laughed.

"She is beautiful, isn't she?"

"Of course she is! Considering who her mother is, how could she be anything but?"

"She's a precious little miracle from above."

_You'll never know how much of a miracle, _Data thought.

"Life itself is a miracle from above."

"I couldn't agree with you more on that, Data."

* * *

The new family beamed back aboard the _Enterprise _as soon as it was prudent to do so.

Data and Tasha's co-workers made a big fuss over the baby, of course. Picard held her first, and she seemed happy and content in his arms. _I know you._ Next Madden held her, and she primped up to cry. _I don't know you._ But Madden seemed to have a way with her, and soon she was lying calmly in his arms and looking up into his face.

Data and Tasha spent that night together in their bed in their quarters for the first time since before Lal's birth.

"God, Tasha, it feels so good to fall asleep holding you in my arms again."

"Without my big belly in the way," Tasha laughed. "Although I'm sorry we can't do anything more than cuddle for a while yet."

"Oh, Tasha, I'm just so very thankful to be able to cuddle with you again. Please don't worry about the rest. The most important thing is your recovery. There'll be plenty of time for everything else later."

A happy surprise was that Sela visited the _Enterprise _for a few days to spend some time with her mother and meet her new baby sister. She seemed much more relaxed and at ease than she had at their first encounter. Lal, perhaps sensing their close blood relationship, settled happily in Sela's arms. At first Lal was confused and rooted for Sela's nipple, which caused both women to burst out laughing. Data thought about how nice it was to hear Tasha and Sela laughing together for the first time. He realized that a mother/daughter relationship which had been broken so early and in such a tragic way would take some time to heal.

Will and Deanna Riker from the _Titan _also paid them a visit. Will was overjoyed to see his old friend whom he had assumed to have been lost forever again, not only sound and whole but in the human body he had always wanted. Deanna was just as happy as Will. Tears of joy streamed down her face as she hugged first Data and then Tasha. For the miracle of Lal she was thrilled beyond words.

Deanna noticed Sela. "You never told me you had another sister besides Ishara. Are you twins?"

"No, and actually Sela's my daughter, not my sister," Tasha laughed.

Deanna did a double take. "I don't understand..."

So Tasha told her the whole story. Deanna, shocked and saddened, went to embrace Tasha again. "Oh, you poor dear..."

"Please don't feel sorry for me, Deanna. There's no need to. Everything I lost has been restored to me, and then some." Data embraced her and she cuddled Lal, whose big blue eyes followed Deanna's every move.

"That's true for me as well," Data added.

* * *

It was not long afterward that Dr. Pulanski gave Tasha the green light to resume marital relations with her husband. Tasha walked back to her quarters to find that Data had dimmed all the lights, and candles burned in strategic locations around the dining area. She could smell the aroma of her favorite meal being prepared, and on the stereo Marvin Gaye was singing 'Let's Get It On.'

"Wow! You really outdid yourself, Data!"

"Do you like it?"

"It's lovely! Where's Lal?"

"Her Uncle Geordi was more than happy to babysit for a couple of hours. And was the news from the doctor what we hoped it would be?"

"Yes, indeed!"

"Then I ask you, what could make this evening any more perfect?"

Data pulled her chair out from the table and she sat down, and then he served them both. After they were finished eating, Tasha rose to help him clear the table, but he shook his head vigorously. "Oh no no no, I won't hear of it. You're going to relax and get ready to be pleasured beyond your wildest dreams, and I will join you very shortly."

Tasha went into the bedroom, which was also lit with candles, removed her clothes, reclined on the bed, and waited for him.

A short time later he was there, his eyes moving slowly up and down the length of her naked body, drinking in her every contour. In the briefest of moments, his clothing was stacked in a neat pile beside hers, and their bodies were moving together, moans of pleasure coming from deep within her being as she totally surrendered herself to her lover and dearest friend. When it was over they lay together, bodies intertwined, until their breathing returned to normal.

"Was that nice? Did you enjoy it?"

"Oh, Data, that was awesome!"

"That wasn't the end, my dear." He took her hand and led her into the bathroom, which was also lit with candles and was heavily perfumed with burning incense. He helped her into the richly lathered bathtub and then got in himself, and then they took turns leisurely covering each other with suds and then sponging the suds off.

Afterwards Data got dressed and went to fetch Lal from Geordi's quarters. They returned within a few moments. Lal cooed happily and waved her arms at the sight of her mother, who cuddled and kissed her. "Did you and Uncle Geordi have fun together?"

"Uncle Geordi told me that she was as good as gold the whole time," Data told her.

"Lal is always as good as gold, aren't you, my precious?" Lal gurgled agreement and began nuzzling Tasha's breast. "But I'll bet you're pretty hungry by now, aren't you?" Tasha bared her breast and Lal latched on hungrily. Data just watched them silently for awhile, stroking Lal's soft, fuzzy head. When Lal had had her fill and been burped and changed, Data rocked his daughter and gently sang to her.

_I've got rhythm, I've got music  
I've got my girl, who could ask for anything more_

_I've got good times, no more bad times  
I've got my girl, who could ask for anything more_

_Old Man Trouble, I don't mind him  
You won't find him 'round my door_

_I've got starlight, I've got sweet dreams  
I've got my girl, who could ask for anything more_

"I think that song's a little up tempo for a lullaby," Tasha laughed.

"That's okay, we like it anyway, don't we, Lal?" Data kissed his daughter's tiny cheek, and Lal made baby noises in response. In moments Lal was asleep, and Data gently laid her in her crib and got into bed with Tasha, who snuggled into his waiting arms.

"Who could ask for anything more?" Tasha giggled.

"Not I, that's for sure," Data murmured into her hair.


End file.
